Chronicle of a Death Foretold A Latin American Detective Story

Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez From Columbia, South America Was a journalist in the 1940s and 1950s before focusing on literary writing Based this book on a murder that occurred in Sucre, Columbia in 1951

Style of Gabriel Garcia Marquez Frequently uses journalistic techniques in his fiction. Examples: High interest first line; journalistic details of observation Márquez has stated that he became a good journalist by reading literature, and that journalism helped him maintain contact with reality, which he considers important for writing good literature.

Microcosm of Colombian Society n.   A small, representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration, or development a little world; a world in miniature (opposed to macrocosm

Novella A fictional prose narrative that is longer and more complex than a short story A short novel

Narrator Quasi omniscient (having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things) narrative voice But lapses into “we” 1st person Never superior, he’s a member of the community and shares their experiences Capable of great empathy

Plot Knows who’s involved Want to get to the bottom of the crime 27 years late

Irony Everyone knows the murder will happen, even the police Murderers tell hoping to be stopped

The Real Murder Story Murder occurred January 22, 1951 in Sucre Columbia, where Marquez’s family lived. Miguel Reyes Palencia married local teacher Margarita Chica Salas on January 20 He loved her but had been pressured to marry by Margarita’s brothers At the wedding, Miguel got drunk and slept until the 21st. When he awoke, he saw no evidence that Margarita was a virgin, so he beat her and returned her to his mother. Margarita named Cayetano Gentile as the man she lost her virginity to.

The Real Murder Story Cayetano had been engaged to Margarita in the past. Cayetano was a childhood friend of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He came home as a crowd gathered around his house, and was stabbed by Margarita’s brothers 14 times. He died saying “I’m innocent.” The brothers turned themselves in immediately, spent a year in jail, and were finally acquitted.

Honor and Rituals Watch for these cultural ideas in the text

Definition Chronicle: A factual written account of historical events in the order they occurred.

Is it really entirely a chronicle The narrator does not present the events chronologically

The Important Questions Is this book a chronicle? Is it journalistic? Is it literary?

Marquez’s Politics and Religion Born in Colombia Political novelist: no actual political party, but a political man a socialist and journalist View on religious hierarchy: atheist

Fidal Castro and Cuba Supporter of Fidal Castro Fidal reads his manuscripts before publishing Close ties with Cuba Influenced by the Cuban Revolution Looked toward Cuba as the nation opposed to cultural colonialism, as an emblem for ending the economic dependence on the US Economic exploitation a dominant theme in Latin American Lit.

Marquez’s Influences Influenced by the Cuban Revolution Looked toward Cuba as the nation opposed to cultural colonialism, as an emblem for ending the economic dependence on the US William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Wolfe, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex

Aim as a novelist / His books His aim: To “close the gap” between literature and politics All his books start with a strong image His setting are in locales he lived

Themes and Criticism Economic exploitation: a dominant theme in Latin American Lit. Criticized for sexism: creating traditional nurturing mother earth figures that perpetuate stereotypes rather than stop them, men access to stop and the outer world and women power at home He argues that men are weaklings, unstable and waver, but women “survive and are stable”

Awards Marquez has won many international awards.

“Cult of Virginity” Women suffered from the cult of virginity

Magic Realism Definition: fantasy and actuality, outlandish and fantastic elements described as if they were entirely natural and commonplace Includes everyday life, “people’s myths, their beliefs, and their legends”

Magic Realism: Influences For Marquez, the supernatural elements were part of his everyday reality. He grew up on the Caribbean coast: a combo of Guajiro Indians, emigrants from the middle east, and descendants of black slaves, and settlers from Spain. This provided him with a diverse culture tinged with magic, mystery, and the unknowable.

Techniques and examples Technique renders the fantastic entirely credible in its specificity Ex. If you were to say that 200 elephants pass by, no one would believe you. But if you write that 232 elephants appeared with 7 baby elephants among them, the read will accept the idea.

Techniques and Examples Continued Exaggeration and specificity provide political commentary, exaggeration also serves the demands of humor. This makes the story gain verisimilitude. Ex. In his book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Remedios the Beauty ascends into heaven, but she doesn’t just go to heaven…she travels taking with her her bed sheets that had just been washed and were being put out on the line to dry.

Techniques and Examples Continued He includes fictional names along with the names of his own mother, Luisa Santiago and his own wife Mercedes Barcha. The inclusion of the names of real people tie the events more strongly to a fixed reality.

Literary Elements Uses imagery that appeals to the 5 senses Lots of metaphors And personification

Stylistic Elements Uses a catalogue or list combining everyday items with archaic or exotic ones Uses strange, surreal details to highlight otherwise ordinary events Economical dialogue, but witty

Columbia: Facts 4th largest country in South America Coastline on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea National Language: Spanish Capital: Bogota

Colonial Times Stratified classes, apex of society were people born in Spain (peninsulares) They formed the basis of the oligarchy, which was in power until the end of the 20th century

Oligarchy Oligarchy: form of gov. in which all power is vested in a few persons or dominant class or clique In power until end of 20th century

Peninsulares, Criollos, Mestizos, Zambos Peninsulares: apex of society, people born in Spain Criollos: people of Spanish decent, born in Colombia, inferior to peninsulares Mestizos: inferior 60% of the population, mixed Spanish and Indian blood Zambos: lowest class, mixed Indian and African (the disenchanted groom is a zambo)

Religion Close tie in Colombia between church and state

Marquez is against… Marquez is against the slave trade, and the history of degradation that is a legacy in his countrymen Marquez rejects both liberals and conservatives as equally contemptible representatives of the ruling oligarchy

Latin America and the US Many Latin American writers have an acute disenchantment with the politics of the US and distrust the motives of their neighbor to the north “What the US government wants in Central America are governments is can control.”